• Wednesday, 25 December 2024

Fenerbahce hit with partial stadium closure after fans' Putin chants

Fenerbahce hit with partial stadium closure after fans' Putin chants
UEFA has hit Fenerbahce with a partial stadium closure after fans chanted the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Champions League qualifier against Ukraine's Dynamo Kyiv. Russia invaded Ukraine in February and the war has caused thousands of deaths while millions have been displaced. The chanting started after Oleksandr Karavayev scored what ended up being the winner for the Ukrainian side in the tie's second leg in Istanbul as they ran out 2-1 victors on aggregate. It led to Dynamo boss Mircea Lucescu boycotting the post-match news conference, and UEFA has now sanctioned the Turkish club for the behaviour of their fans. The club have been fined €50,000, while a partial closure of at least 5,000 seats has been ordered for Fenerbahce's next European home game for "the throwing of objects and transmitting a provocative message of an offensive nature, i.e. illicit chants."